ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed to increase Islamabad's agricultural and food exports to the Kingdom to $3 billion over the next two years, according to a joint statement issued after high-level delegation talks in Islamabad.
The agreement came during a visit by Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli earlier this week, where the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in agriculture, food security, and related investment.
Al-Fadhli also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the prime minister's house, where the two agreed to deepen the economic and agricultural ties between the brotherly states.
During the meeting, PM Sharif announced that a delegation of Pakistani agricultural experts would soon travel to Riyadh to continue discussions on expanding cooperation.
The countries said they would focus on rice, red meat, fruits and fruit concentrates, green fodder and water-efficient agricultural technologies to achieve the export target.
Both sides highlighted the “strong mutual synergy” between Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 food security priorities and Pakistan’s agricultural and food export sector.
The Saudi delegation expressed interest in further increasing rice imports from Pakistan, which currently stand at 169,000 tonnes annually, worth approximately $163 million.
The Kingdom also expressed its interest in doubling its imports of red meat from Pakistan, which currently stand at 30,000 tonnes annually, valued at about $167 million.
Saudi Arabia also encouraged Pakistan to join the International Dates Council, while both sides reviewed private-sector investment proposals in livestock, food processing and the rice value chain.
The Saudi delegation held meetings with senior Pakistani civil and military leaders, ministers, and investment councils.
Both countries reaffirmed their “deep, historical, and fraternal relations” and agreed to work closely to implement the understandings reached during the visit
The Kingdom also invited Pakistan to participate in the 43rd Saudi Agriculture Exhibition, scheduled for October 19–22, 2026, in Riyadh.